]]>Several witnesses contacted Portland, Oregon Fox affiliate KPTV with photos of a strange fireball UFO in the sky on the morning of Wednesday, November 20. The aerial object was observed just after 7:00 a.m.

Fireball UFO as seen from Portland, OR. (Credit: Ed Tynan/KPTV)

KPTV contacted Jim Todd, director of space science education at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). According to Todd, some of the photos sent to the news station seem to depict an explosion. KPTV explains that an explosion could indicate that the aerial object was a bright meteor known as a fireball. But an exploding fireball would apparently have caused a sonic boom. And, according to Todd, “So far, there is no indication there was a sonic boom.”

Todd added the possibility that that object in the photos could be an airplane contrail, and “what looks like an explosion in the photos could actually be the rising sun reflecting off a cloud layer.” And KOIN meteorologist Bruce Sussman agrees. The station describes, “The contrail was expanded by winds in the sky, and then the sun hit it just right — lighting it up. The bright light did indeed look like a fire ball or meteor. But, unfortunately for sky gazers who sent KOIN 6 News images of the sighting Wednesday and were hoping for another diagnosis, it was not.”

But according to Todd, “The verdict is still out.” The fireball UFO has not been positively identified. But experts believe the most likely explanation is an airplane contrail.